How to Protect Lawn Decorations From Theft

by Shala Munroe

Attaching your decorations to a concrete or wood foundation can protect them from theft.

Thieves who covet your expensive and attractive lawn decorations might decide to take them when you least expect it. Protecting your favorite decorations means planning carefully from the moment you pick them out. You can choose among several cost-effective protection methods as well more expensive options to keep your lawn decorations where they belong -- in your yard.

1

Buy heavy, bulky lawn decorations such as life-sized statues. Larger decorations are more trouble to steal and move quickly, which reduces the chance of theft.

2

Pound a rebar or metal stake into the ground directly behind your lawn decoration using a rubber mallet. Attach the decoration to the stake using sturdy rope or chain, preferably through holes or openings in the back of the decoration to hide them from view. This makes it more difficult for a thief to quickly snatch the lawn decoration.

3

Dig a shallow hole with a shovel. Stir fast-set concrete with water in a wheelbarrow, per package instructions, and scoop it into the hole with a trowel. Use the trowel to level the concrete, then set the lawn decoration on top. Cover the foundation with mulch to hide it from view.

4

Lay a large, heavy piece of wood on the ground. Set the lawn decoration on top of the wood, and secure it to the wood with wood bolts using a socket wrench or power driver. This method is best used with decorations that have built-in mounting holes on the base. If yours doesn't have holes, you might be able to drill holes with a masonry drill -- it depends on how your decoration is configured.

5

Install motion-activated security lights on the outside of your home facing your lawn decorations. When a person walks into your yard after dark, the lights automatically turn on. Thieves prefer the cover of darkness and are less likely to steal your decorations when in the spotlight.

6

Install a fence around your yard. This could be a wooden privacy fence, a picket fence or a wrought iron fence. Choose the right fence for your needs; wooden privacy fences don't showcase your lawn decorations for others, while wrought iron fences blend in better with your landscaping.

7

Install small GPS tracking devices on your lawn decorations in inconspicuous places, such as inside hollow decorations or along the base. These can be pricey to purchase and to pay for the monthly tracking service, but they allow you to locate your decorations if they're stolen.

Things You Will Need

Rebar or metal stake

Rubber mallet

Rope or chain

Fast-set concrete

Wheelbarrow

Trowel

Large wood plank

Wood bolts

Socket wrench or power driver

Masonry drill

Security lights

Fencing

GPS tracking devices

Tip

Installing security cameras on the exterior of your home can help you monitor the lawn decorations, although they might not prevent the theft. Motion-activated cameras turn on only when triggered by movement, or you can choose cameras that take photos every few seconds. Select cameras with night-vision capabilities and with disk storage or hard drives so that you can show photos of perpetrators to police if your lawn decorations are stolen.

About the Author

Based outside Atlanta, Ga., Shala Munroe has been writing and copy editing since 1995. Beginning her career at newspapers such as the "Marietta Daily Journal" and the "Atlanta Business Chronicle," she most recently worked in communications and management for several nonprofit organizations before purchasing a flower shop in 2006. She earned a BA in communications from Jacksonville State University.

Photo Credits

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